Today’s Top News

1. PM Modi will inaugurate the Chauri Chaura Centenary Celebrations at Chauri Chaura, Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, on 4th February 2021 at 11 AM via video conferencing. He will also release a postal stamp dedicated to the Chauri Chaura centenary during the event. Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh will also be present on the occasion.

2. Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS), Ministry of Earth Sciences, Government of India celebrated its 23rd Foundation Day on 3rd February.

3. The Aero India 2021 show started from February 3, 2021 in Bengaluru . The show will conclude on February 5, 2021. During the Aero show, a deal will be Signed worth Rs 48,000 crore to manufacture the 83 indigenous Teja Light Combat Aircraft (LCA)-73. A deal will be signed with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to manufacture the Teja Light Combat Aircraft.

4. The PGIMER, Chandigarh has launched its ‘PGI Amputee Clinic’ which is also the first such clinic in India . The clinic was set up to improve the amputation patient care by providing them a host of services under one roof and with significant coordination.

5. What is Amputation?
It is the removal of a limb by trauma, medical illness, or surgery. It is used to control the pain or a disease process in the affected limb. Sometimes, it is carried out on individuals as a preventive surgery.

6. The Ministry of Women and Child Development has recently extended the last date for submission of nomination for Nari Shakti Puraskar-2020. The last date has been extended till February 6, 2021. Nari Shakti Puraskar are conferred every year on the occasion of International Women’s Day. The Nari Shakti Puruskar is awarded to individuals or groups or NGOs or institutions.

7. A domestic manufacturing programme for critical power and renewable energy equipment will be launched by the ministry of Power in the Financial Year 2021 . The programme has at an outlay of Rs 1,500 crore.

8. The Central government has announced that, it will soon set up a new Centre for Wetland Conservation and Management (CWCM) in Chennai.
Wetland are a distinct ecosystem that are flooded by water. They are flooded either permanently or seasonally. In such ecosystems, oxygen-free processes prevail. Wetlands helps in water purification, water storage, processing of carbon and the stabilization of shorelines. It also provides support to the plants and animals.

9. BJP president JP Nadda embarked on a two-day visit of Kerala to shape his party’s strategy for the Assembly polls due in April-May this year.

10. Senior Bharatiya Janata Party Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy, who is known for candid and forthright views, has now taken a dig at his own party over rising fuel prices . Expressing displeasure on fuel prices a day after the Union Budget 2021, the firebrand BJP MP compared fuel prices in India with that of Nepal and Sri Lanka while invoking characters from ‘Ramayan’. “Petrol Rs 93 in Ram’s India, Rs 53 in Sita’s Nepal and Rs 51 in Ravan’s Lanka,”

11. Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday alleged that the local Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has joined hands with Central agencies to terrorize Kashmiris and falsely implicate them. On 27 January PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti had said the arrest of Waheed ur Rehman Para was emblematic of the situation of Kashmiri politicians who she claimed were being “persecuted” by the Centre for not toeing its line.

12. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday (February 3) took it to his Twitter handle to show his concern for the protesting farmers. Ahead of the proposed ‘Chakka Jam’ on February 6 by farmer unions across the country, CM Kejriwal sent out a video message on the issue of missing farmers. He assured the unions that the Delhi government is trying everything in their power to reconnect them to their families.

13. Gujarat cadre IPS officer Praveen Sinha appointed acting CBI chief. RK Shukla completes his two-year term on Wednesday.

14. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday arrested a person ( Mrityunjay Kumar Singh (34),) for his alleged involvement in a murder case in which four police personnel were killed and their arms looted by the cadres of the outlawed CPI (Maoist) terrorist organisation in Jharkhand’s Latehar, The case pertains to the attack on the police patrolling party by the cadres of the CPI (Maoist) on November 22, 2019, at Lukaiya more .

15. The security cover at and near the farmers’ protest locations might be affected as the Delhi government has decided to withdraw DTC buses on special hire to various departments. All the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) buses on special hire have been decided to be withdrawn with immediate effect.

16. Future Group founder Kishore Biyani has been restricted from accessing the securities market by the Securities and Exchange Board of India for a year.

17. Legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar took to her Twitter to slam the propaganda against India and the comments by International celebrities on the farmers’ protest. she avers that ‘India fully equipped to resolve issues amicably’ amid Rihanna row.

18. Television producer Ekta Kapoor on Monday came down heavily on the statements by foreign celebrities over the ongoing farmers’ agitation in India, asking people to stand united against such propaganda. Taking to Twitter, Ekta shared the Ministry of External Affairs’ official statement on the matter saying- ‘Let’s stand united against any propaganda. Together we can and we will!

19. Former Bigg Boss contestant and self proclaimed Godman Swami Om passed away on Wednesday at a hospital in New Delhi.

20. Coronavirus Cases:
3,251,160
Deaths: 77,595
Recovered: 228,472

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

1. Reduction of import duty on copper scrap from 5% to 2.5% announced in Union Budget 2021-22 to boost recycling of copper in the country. This will have social, environmental and economic benefits and also has employment generation potential. New industries can be created in the recycling sector with focus on innovative design and manufacturing from recycled material.

2. Russian Ambassador to India Nikolay Kudashev lauded the ongoing Aero India International 2021 air show and expressed happiness on being biggest exhibitor.

3. Saudi Arabia suspends flights from 20 nations, including India, to curb COVID infections

4. UK Member of Parliament Claudia Webbe on Wednesday extended support to the ongoing protests by farmers on the borders of Delhi against the three farm laws and asserted that the matter will be taken to the UK Parliament. Taking to micro-blogging site Twitter, Webbe supported and thanked American pop star Rihanna’s stand on the matter.

5. Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg shared a toolkit document for the ongoing farmers’ protest against new agri laws. The document shared on her Twitter handle exposed a sinister conspiracy to defame India on the international stage. The climate activist later deleted the tweet from her Twitter handle.

6. COVID-19 vaccine: Russia’s Sputnik V to seek India approval by March 2021

WORLD NEWS

1. World Health Organization investigators on Wednesday visited Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV), which has been at the center of many theories about the origins of the coronavirus which first emerged in the Chinese city of Wuhan at the end of 2019.

2. The Myanmar police have filed a case against the deposed head of government Aung San Suu Kyi for illegally importing communications equipment. The police told the court that six walkie talkies were found in search of her home in Naypyidaw.

3. Aung San Suu Kyi will be detained till Feb 15 for investigations. Along with Aung San Suu Kyi, the former President of Myanmar Win Myint has also been charged with violating rules banning people’s gathering during the Corona pandemic . He has also been remanded in custody for two weeks.

4. The regime in Myanmar headed by the army has announced a new State Administrative Council. The council headed by the Army Chief General Min Aung Hlaing has eleven members out of which 8 are from the military.

5. Adolf Hitler’s toilet seat looted by US soldier up for auction, could fetch $15,000. The auction is being held by Alexander Historical Auctions LLC in Chesapeake City, Maryland, on February 8.

6. Coronavirus Cases:
104,864,224
Deaths: 2,275,973
Recovered: 76,597,175

SPORTS

1. The first Test between India and England will be played between February 5-9.

2. Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar has opposed foreign interference in India’s affairs, against the backdrop of an almighty row over pop sensation Rihanna commenting on the ongoing farmers’ protest on the outskirts of the national capital Delhi. It so happened that Rihanna on Tuesday had shared a news story on the current state of farmers’ protest and asked why is no one talking about the issue.

3. Veteran cricketer Suresh Raina stated that while we as a nation had issues to resolve, it did not mean that we allowed ourselves to be divided by external forces. Asserting that everything could be resolved through amicable and unbiased dialogue, Raina urged citizens to not be perturbed by foreign entities. His statement came after international pop star Rihanna, climate activist Greta Thunberg, Lilly Singh, and others meddled in the farmers’ movement fuelling international discourse over the matter.

Today’s Top News…